Queensland

• Qld youth crime bill will not make the community safer

  29th Nov 2024

  The Queensland Government's Making Queensland Safer Bill 2024, introduced into the Parliament yesterday, is an alarming backwards step that ignores local and international human rights principles and will not work to make the community safer.

• Youth justice bill must be released with time for consultation: lawyers

  26th Nov 2024

  Lawyers in Queensland are calling for the Government to release its ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ Bill immediately and to allow time for proper consultation.

• Queensland barrister wins national ALA Member of the Year

  18th Oct 2024

  A Queensland barrister who gives his time and expertise generously to support and develop other members of the legal profession, Mr Gerard (Gerry) Mullins KC, has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s 2024 Member of the Year Award.

• LNP urged to commit to retaining rights for road trauma victims in lead up to election

  4th Oct 2024

  Lawyers representing people who have been seriously injured on the road in Queensland are calling on the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) to commit to retaining the state’s current CTP scheme.

• Current factors and trends influencing the cost of insurance under the statutory insurance scheme

  1st Oct 2024

• Qld Call-to-Parties: Lawyers call for commitment to justice for victims of negligence & abuse

  8th Aug 2024

  In the lead up to the state election, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has launched its Queensland ‘Call-to-Parties’ urging politicians to improve access to justice for all Queenslanders.

• Dealing with WorkCover for work injuries: Closing the gap between injury and returning to work

  18th Jul 2024

  Employers can play a crucial role in speeding up the recovery time following an employee’s work injury by implementing effective early intervention programs. Australia, however, has a long way to go in terms of uniformity and ensuring injured workers are treated fairly across all industries as they navigate their compensation claims. Compensation Lawyer Yasmine Chalvatzis explains.

• National law firm director named new Australian Lawyers Alliance national president

  16th Jul 2024

  The new national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is Maurice Blackburn director, Michelle James.

• Vampire in charge of the blood bank – a CTP insurer tale

  4th Jul 2024

  Tim McClymont delivers a spine-chilling account of the high price CTP insurers can extract from vulnerable self-representing claimants.

• Independent Review of Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019

  21st Jun 2024

• Qld Govt should lead the way on workers comp with equal rights for gig workers

  20th May 2024

  The Queensland Government should lead the way nationally and extend workers’ compensation rights to gig workers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance told a government committee today at the hearing for the inquiry into the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.

• Calls for Qld Govt to lead the way on workers comp for gig industry

  14th May 2024

  The Queensland Government should lead the way nationally and extend workers’ compensation rights to gig workers to ensure that workers and their families in Queensland are protected, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (Qld)

  14th May 2024

• Gig workers need workers’ comp rights: urgent need for law reform

  26th Mar 2024

  Urgent action is required now from the Queensland Government to respond to the changing nature of the workforce and to extend workers’ compensation rights to gig workers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Injured motorists in Queensland will be worse off for RACQ's withdrawal

  7th Mar 2024

  One year on from the announcement of Queensland’s CTP scheme review, the withdrawal of major insurer the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) in October 2023 means former customers are unsure of their options. Claims management performance was said to be comparable across Queensland’s CTP insurers. Travis Schultz examines the key metrics to uncover a different story.  

• Archaic immunity from the long face of the law

  8th Feb 2024

  An anachronistic and outdated law continues to unfairly affect road users who collide with livestock in Queensland. Rachel Last sets out the detail and why Queensland should align with other states and territories to ensure a just outcome.  

• Current factors and trends influencing the cost of insurance under Queensland's CTP insurance scheme

  21st Dec 2023

• Table of Costs Review 2023

  31st Oct 2023

• Victims of Crime Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

  26th Oct 2023

• Criminal Law (Coercive Control and Affirmative Consent) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

  24th Oct 2023

• Court of Appeal clarifies the extent of compromise required for a formal offer to be effective

  5th Oct 2023

  Travis Schultz summarises an important judgment containing a new legal principle. 

• Qld youth justice law changes: breaches govt’s obligation to put interests of children first

  25th Aug 2023

  The changes made to Queensland’s youth justice laws yesterday which mean that children can be held in adult police watch houses indefinitely are cruel and will endanger the wellbeing of vulnerable members of the community, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Urgent action needed to fix Blue Card system and the regulation of childcare centres

  15th Aug 2023

  Urgent action is needed to tighten both the Queensland Blue Card system and the regulation of childcare centres, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Integrity and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

  15th Aug 2023

• Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

  4th Jul 2023

• QLD CTP scheme does not need fundamental change despite concerns re RACQ withdrawal

  8th Jun 2023

  Queensland’s CTP scheme is stable, delivers fair compensation to injured people and should not be changed, despite concerns about RACQ leaving the scheme, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Son, be a lawyer.

  20th Apr 2023

  Founding ALA member, Mark O’Connor, reflects on 42 years of ‘exciting, dramatic and, at times, crazy and noble’ legal practice, leaving us with the story of its beginning, along with some 'hopefully helpful' words.

• It’s not always kind to be nice

  5th Apr 2023

  'Any difficult conversation can be an opportunity to build a relationship based on trust and mutual respect if the feedback is delivered with compassion and kindness,' writes Kelly Phelps of Travis Schultz & Partners, sharing a list of tips for delivering feedback. 

• Most common breaches of WCRA

  23rd Mar 2023

  ‘Much has been written about the ‘dodgy’ workers who have been caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar, but rarely do we hear about the misdeeds of the unscrupulous employers who are prepared to go to any length to protect profitability at the expense of employee welfare ... here are just a few of the tricks commonly used by unscrupulous corporations and employers,’ writes Travis Schultz, Managing Partner, Travis Schultz & Partners

• CTP review welcome but motorists’ rights must be retained

  6th Mar 2023

  A review of Queensland’s CTP scheme as announced by the Queensland Government today is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Why wage underpayments should concern personal injury lawyers

  23rd Feb 2023

  Sharing a slice of Queensland Conference, learned speaker Stephen Hughes of Travis Schultz & Partners calls out an alarming trend – the underpayment of workers – highlighting the impact of this injustice on the determination of economic loss in personal injury claims. 

• Brisbane barrister wins award for commitment to justice for individuals

  17th Feb 2023

  Brisbane based barrister, Gerard Mullins KC was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award recognising his commitment to using the law to improve the lives of individuals.

• Are waivers enforceable? It depends…

  25th Jan 2023

  For most recreational service providers and tourism operators, waivers (or contractual release clauses) are a standard operating procedure. But how well do waivers protect the business operator and the rights of customers and their families in the event of life-changing injuries? 'When reviewing, dissecting and analysing the fine print of these waivers, what we often see are three weaknesses that make the contract not worth the paper it is written on' writes Travis Schultz.

• National legal association condemns plan for new youth detention centre in Cairns

  9th Dec 2022

  A new youth detention centre in Cairns will not work to lower the rate of crime in the region, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Qld govt urged to decriminalise public drunkenness and begging

  8th Sep 2022

  Public drunkenness and begging must both be treated as health and social issues, not criminal offences, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Qld Government plans to strip rights from dying workers

  12th May 2022

  Changes proposed to Queensland’s workers’ compensation laws dramatically and unnecessarily affect the rights of dying people, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Qld member Rod Hodgson wins ALA Member of the Year Award

  10th Mar 2022

  A leader in the pursuit of justice for individuals, Rodney Hodgson, has been awarded the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Member of the Year for 2021

• Toowoomba lawyer wins award for bringing legal services to regional and remote communities

  11th Feb 2022

  The Principal Lawyer at Legal Aid Queensland, Toowoomba was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award recognising her personal commitment to helping people in regional and remote communities to access justice.

• The law around disclosure

  10th Feb 2022

  In celebration of our Queensland conference, speaker Ashleigh Harrison shares a slice of Saturday’s presentation, discussing the complexities around disclosure under the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (Qld), impacting on cases like Haug v Jupiters Limited trading as Conrad Treasury Brisbane, in which a guitarist from Powerfinger, in his quest to prove ‘excessive force’ was used to eject him from a Brisbane casino, lost the battle to obtain security information. 

• VAD bill welcome but better access needed for remote Queenslanders & those with long term illness

  25th May 2021

  Queensland’s proposed voluntary assisted dying bill is welcome but could be improved to ensure timely access for people living in remote areas, and to remove subjective rules around life expectancy time frames, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Juvenile crime laws will not make communities safer

  22nd Mar 2021

  The measures proposed in the Youth Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 will not make communities safer, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in a submission to the Queensland government.

• Cairns-based Mamu and Gunggandji lawyer wins state award for commitment to justice

  12th Feb 2021

  A Cairns-based Mamu and Gunggandji barrister who works to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities fair access to the legal system was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award

• Youth crime crackdown will not create safer Queensland communities

  9th Feb 2021

  Measures announced today designed to address youth crime will not work to make the community safer, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Prison lockdowns cannot be the solution to preventing COVID-19 outbreak

  27th Aug 2020

  As some 7000 prisoners in Queensland are placed into ‘extreme isolation’ to manage the threat of a COVID-19 outbreak, governments and courts are being urged to reduce the number of people in prison and provide for discounts on sentence time served.

• Call for NSW workers’ compensation scheme to be scrapped

  13th Aug 2020

  In light of concerns raised in the recent media investigation of the NSW workers' compensation scheme, Jeremy Roche compares NSW’s scheme with that of Queensland. He claims that NSW should copy the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme as it is more profitable, fair, efficient and sustainable and injured claimants, along with insurers and employers, are far better off.

• Did the employer’s negligence cause the sales assistant’s psychiatric injury? Which case won?

  18th Jun 2020

  Phil Griffin explores the facts and outcomes of a recent psychiatric injury case decided in Queensland. This case highlights that the risks inherent in an employee’s role are an important consideration in determining the reasonable precautions that an employer must take to meet its duty of care to its employees.

• How the new Queensland Human Rights Act can assist clients with disability

  16th Apr 2020

  It is well recognised that people with disability are particularly vulnerable to violations of their human rights. In this article, Emma Phillips welcomes the new statutory human rights protections delivered by the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) (which commenced in January 2020) and identifies the rights and freedoms which have particular significance for people with disability. Emma explains how the new statutory right to health services, a new human right in Australia, has the potential to address the denial of appropriate treatment for people with disability and any failures to ensure access to health services for incarcerated people with disability.

• ALA welcomes QLD health committee’s support for voluntary assisted dying

  3rd Apr 2020

  The recommendation that voluntary assisted dying for terminally ill adults should be legalised in Queensland has been welcomed by the ALA.

• Queensland reforms affecting workers’ comp claims for psychological injuries

  5th Mar 2020

  Jessica Hodge explains the changes affecting workers' compensation claims for psychological injury in Queensland which commenced late last year. She argues that while the removal of ‘major’ from the required standard for a psychological injury represents a positive step for employees, particularly those with pre-existing psychological conditions, it is unlikely to result in a significant increase in the claim acceptance rate. 

• MAIC report confirms QLD CTP scheme is ‘stable, fair and affordable’

  27th Feb 2020

  Queensland’s CTP scheme has again been confirmed as the most affordable scheme in the country, following the release today of the 2019 CTP Scheme Insights Report from the independent regulator the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC).

• Gold Coast woman wins award recognising her fight for justice for Qld paramedics

  7th Feb 2020

  A Gold Coast woman who advocated to obtain better support for Queensland paramedics with mental health issues has today been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award (CJA).

• Law reform: Protecting the safety of Queensland mining workers

  6th Feb 2020

  It is clear from a recent spate of deaths of mining workers that the resources industry has a long way to go to ensure its workers stay safe. The nature of the operations and sheer scale of the mining machinery used mean that when injuries occur in this sector, they are often very serious, and too often result in death where safe work practices have not been followed. Jason Monro supports moves by the Queensland government to extend the operation of industrial manslaughter laws introduced in 2017 to the resources sector. 

• Smart justice: QLD Productivity Commission recommendations will create safer communities

  31st Jan 2020

  Implementing the recommendations made today by the Queensland Productivity Commission will keep the community safe while moving away from a failed punitive justice model, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Letting insurance companies change CTP will cost Queenslanders more

  8th Dec 2019

  RACQ’s Re-Think CTP campaign for a no fault scheme isn’t re-thinking anything new, says Greg Spinda, QLD State President, ALA.

• Lawyers say voluntary assisted dying scheme is consistent with current laws that allow a patient to refuse treatment

  21st May 2019

  The introduction of a voluntary assisted dying scheme in Queensland, which allows eligible people to self-administer medication that will end their lives, is consistent with existing laws that prioritise patient autonomy and would enable people to die in a dignified manner, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Treatment of young people in detention is a national crisis, say lawyers

  13th May 2019

  Tonight’s Four Corners episode showing children locked up in adult watch-houses in Queensland makes it clear that Australia is failing in its duty of care to young people, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• AHPRA, OHO and no further action – Do I have a claim?

  11th Apr 2019

  What happens when the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) confirm that they are not taking a matter further, that there is no case to answer or that they believe the treatment by the health organisation or health practitioner was appropriate? Does this mean that the legal case should be abandoned? If the regulatory body is not critical of the health organisation or practitioner’s conduct, what is the claimant’s chance of succeeding in a medical law claim?

• QLD Human Rights Act sets positive example for federal rights charter

  27th Feb 2019

  The Queensland Human Rights Act passed by Parliament today is an important step forward for the state, but also highlights the lack of human rights protections across the rest of our country, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Annette Mason legal team wins 2019 ALA QLD Civil Justice Award

  15th Feb 2019

  The legal team that fought to find the truth for the family of murdered Annette Mason has been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2019 Queensland Civil Justice Award (CJA) in recognition of their unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice.

• ALA urges QLD Government to pass Bill of Rights legislation

  5th Feb 2019

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomed the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee’s recommendation to pass the Queensland Bill of Rights saying that the legislation is expected to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.

• QLD Bill of Rights will make a substantial difference but improvements could make it stronger, say lawyers

  28th Nov 2018

  The Queensland Bill of Rights legislation will make a substantial difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), but there are opportunities to make the Bill stronger and more effective.

• Lawyers point to hypocrisy in insurer calls for Queensland CTP reform

  27th Nov 2018

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has strongly criticised calls from RACQ and Suncorp for changes to Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme that would see less benefits for injured motorists. 

• QLD Bill of Rights is the strongest human rights charter in Australia, says ALA

  31st Oct 2018

  The Queensland Bill of Rights legislation is expected to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Expert evidence: Traffic accident reconstruction reports and physical observations

  16th Oct 2018

  David Cormack discusses the decision and reasoning in the recent case of Brown v Daniels & Anor [2018] QSC 209.

• How are compensation claims calculated in Queensland?

  26th Jul 2018

  An exploration of the factors that are considered when calculating the total sum of a compensation claim.

• Risk of death is more than a ‘blemish’

  28th Jun 2018

  Queensland's workers’ compensation legislation supports workers who have been injured at work to get back on their feet, regardless of the cause of their injury. The exception to this is in relation to psychiatric injuries, in which case support can be denied in the event that an injury is caused by ‘reasonable management action’. Michelle Wright explores a recent case in which Industrial Commissioner Black has acted to limit the 'reasonable management action' exception.

• Can lease agreements be discriminatory?

  17th May 2018

  An exploration of a recent case in which a non-compete clause in a shopping centre lease led to a discrimination complaint against a barber shop.

• A plaintiff need not be perfect

  22nd Mar 2018

  The workers’ compensation system is a minefield for plaintiffs. Having to state and re-state your injuries, being interrogated about your pain, and having to convince people about and justify your restrictions, leaves the ground fertile for credibility issues.

• How are costs assessed in your state?

  22nd Feb 2018

  A practical guide to assessing costs in NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

• How does the costs process work in your state?

  1st Feb 2018

  The costs jurisdiction in every state works differently.

• Mental health and the reasonable person test

  11th Jan 2018

  Historically, the law has had difficulty understanding and responding appropriately to psychiatric injuries.

• Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (Qld) health claims, s9 or s9A?

  30th Nov 2017

  Confusion can arise as to the application of s9 and s9A of the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (Qld).

• How are costs calculated in your state?

  23rd Nov 2017

  Dipal Prasad and Romaine Abraham evaluate the pros and cons of the ways costs are calculated in various states.

• The Queensland state election and personal injury entitlements

  9th Nov 2017

  Michelle Wright investigates the impact the Queensland election may have on the rights of injured people to seek compensation.

• Bullied nurse wins $1.4m

  18th Oct 2017

  Faran Gouldson discusses the case of Robinson v State of Queensland [2017] QSC 165 in which the plaintiff was awarded $1.4 million in damages.

• Lawyers welcome new industrial manslaughter laws in Queensland

  13th Oct 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed tough new workplace safety laws passed by Queensland’s State Parliament last night.

• QLD CTP proposal slammed by lawyer group as insurer greed

  27th Aug 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has strongly criticised calls from Suncorp and RACQ for changes to Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme that would see less benefits for injured motorists.

• Lawyers welcome amendments to introduce tougher penalties and offences

  23rd Aug 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed legislative changes introduced into the Queensland Parliament to strengthen the State’s work, health and safety laws, including tougher penalties and offences for workplace fatalities.

• The path of destruction runs deep

  27th Jul 2017

  Queensland residents have certainly experienced their fair share of natural disasters. It is important that we give consideration to how the law can provide clarity and security to those affected.

• The language of the law

  20th Jul 2017

  Lawyers are very analytical and very specific in their use of terminology. They choose their terms carefully and interpret them precisely. While such precision may seem to be a curious and even humorous idiosyncrasy to the lay-person, it can have a devastating effect on those seeking access to justice.

   

• Thaiday, RE [2017]: A review of the Mental Health Court system

  13th Jul 2017

  Queensland Mental Health Court decides the case of Mrs Thaiday, charged with eight counts of murder.

• The slippery grape strikes again

  6th Apr 2017

  The recent New South Wales District Court decision in Guru v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd (2016) NSWDC 349 further illustrates the duty owed by supermarkets to lawful entrants to their stores.

• QLD lawyers welcome Walter Sofronoff QC as new President of the Court

  31st Mar 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed the appointment of Walter Sofronoff QC as Queensland’s new President of the Court of Appeal.

• Disingenuous insurer seeking to undermine QLD CTP review process

  20th Mar 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today called out the actions of Queensland insurer RACQ as a disingenuous attempt to undermine the important review process currently underway into Queensland’s Comprehensive Third Party (CTP) scheme.

• QLD govt must join national redress scheme for child abuse survivors

  24th Feb 2017

  The Queensland Government must publicly commit to opting in to the Federal Government’s redress scheme for survivors of institutional child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Human rights lawyers win 2017 ALA Queensland Civil Justice Award

  20th Feb 2017

  Three lawyers who successfully fought for improvements in medical care for people being held in Australian offshore detention facilities following the death of a detainee been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland 2017 Civil Justice Award (CJA).

• Nervous shock & psychiatric claims after the loss of a child

  16th Feb 2017

  The law in Australia as it currently stands has the capacity to compound a parent’s grief in such circumstances and generate more than justified contempt towards the legal system. Particularly given the widely accepted view across the community would be that entitlement to compensation in such horrific circumstances would be considered both reasonable and appropriate.

• Father Frank Brennan to speak at Qld law conference

  10th Feb 2017

  Catholic priest and human rights lawyer Father Frank Brennan SJ AO will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Queensland Conference being held on the Gold Coast next week.

• Interim ban on ethanol burners after a spate of accidents & injuries

  9th Feb 2017

  In late 2016 there were a number of announcements about the interim, 60-day, banning of ethanol burners in Queensland, and across other states and territories. The bans followed 38 incidents in Queensland and 117 in total across Australia since 2010.

• Teen burn victim claims against party host

  25th Jan 2017

  In 2013, a 16-year-old girl suffered third degree burns to 42% of her body at a house party when a teenage boy poured an accelerant on to an open fire at a house party. In July 2016, the Brisbane Times reported that the young woman is attempting to claim almost $12m in compensation for her ordeal.

• The first interview with injured clients

  19th Jan 2017

  I’ve interviewed thousands of injured clients, some with minor injuries, and others with the worst injuries imaginable. Every interview is different.

• Liability to entrants to the family castle

  7th Dec 2016

  The Supreme Court of Queensland’s decision in Chandler v Silwood [2016] QSC 90, delivered by Holmes CJ and recently upheld on appeal, further highlights the duty of care owed by owner/occupiers of family homes towards those lawfully entering the property.

• Abortion Decriminalisation (QLD) and International Human Rights P2

  15th Sep 2016

  Denying women the right to access pregnancy termination services violates their rights in many different ways. Decriminalising abortion is not about morally or ethically condoning it. It's about recognising the dangerous consequences of its criminalisation – for women, girls and medical practitioners.

• Abortion Decriminalisation (QLD) and International Human Rights P1

  8th Sep 2016

  On 10 May 2016, former ALP and now independent Cairns MP, Rob Pyne, introduced a private member’s bill into Queensland parliament to decriminalise abortion. Abortion and its facilitation, assistance and procurement have been criminal acts under Queensland law since 1899. Haven’t social and community standards changed in all that time? Well, “yes” and “no" - Benedict Coyne discusses.

• Queensland class action regime welcome

  5th Aug 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed the State Government’s announcement that it will introduce a class actions regime, with the measure an important step in improving access to justice and legal rights in Queensland.

• Lawyers welcome removal of time limits for Qld child abuse claims

  2nd Aug 2016

  ALA Queensland President Michelle James has welcomed new Queensland legislation to remove time limits on institutional abuse claims, saying it will give survivors renewed hope that they can access justice.

• Time limits must be removed on Qld abuse claims: ALA

  25th Jul 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today supported calls for the removal of time limits on institutionalised abuse claims in Queensland.

• Queensland now have Australia's fairest injury insurance scheme

  26th May 2016

  Queenslanders will now have access to the best injury insurance scheme in the country, with a Bill passed today by State Parliament that will cover a current gap in coverage whilst also protecting rights.

• Chance for Qld to deliver best injury insurance scheme for road users

  19th Apr 2016

  The Queensland Parliament has an important opportunity this week to legislate to deliver Australia’s best injury insurance scheme for people catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Black Lung Disease in Queensland

  1st Apr 2016

  A recent 7.30 report program on the ABC suggests that as many as 1,000 Queensland Coalminers could have coalminer's pneumoconiosis or, as it is more commonly known; black lung. This dangerous and often deadly lung disease is of serious concern for workers and their families in this state.

• Solicitor Kerry Splatt named ALA QLD 2016 CJA Winner

  12th Feb 2016

  A solicitor who has been a passionate advocate for injured workers and defender of common law rights for decades has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.

• Kerry Splatt named ALA Queensland 2016 Civil Justice Award Winner

  12th Feb 2016

  A solicitor who has been a passionate advocate for injured workers and defender of common law rights for decades has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.

• Bret Walker SC to speak at annual Queensland law conference

  8th Feb 2016

  Special Counsel Bret Walker SC, the Federal-Government-appointed independent national security legislation monitor, will be the keynote speaker at the 18th Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Queensland State Conference.

• Charting New Waters for a Queensland Bill of Rights - Part B

  5th Feb 2016

  The political appetite for an inquiry for a Queensland Bill of Rights was not quite ready in early 2015. There was an already jam-packed agenda for an unexpected Labor government in its first term... In the second part of his article, Benedict Coyne discusses a Bill of Rights in QLD.

• Charting New Waters for a Queensland Bill of Rights - Part A

  29th Jan 2016

  “Land ahoy!” In the distance, the parliamentary promise of a more just, accountable, compassionate, tolerant and democratic society looms large on the political agenda for Queensland in 2016. Benedict Coyne discusses the idea of a Bill of Rights in Australia in his two-part Opinion article commencing this week.  

• Conclaves: A Step by Step Guide in Queensland

  18th Dec 2015

  Although introduced in Queensland in 2005, conclaves have been relatively rare and unfamiliar territory to most legal practitioners and medical experts alike.  Disputes will undoubtedly arise between legal practitioners and medical experts. Jasmin Sears provides a step by step guide to conclaves in Queensland. 

• Scheme to support Qld'ers badly injured in car accidents welcomed

  11th Nov 2015

  An announcement today from the Qld State Government to consider options for implementing a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) to protect people catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents has been commended by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Third wave asbestos exposure: when bystanders are endangered

  9th Oct 2015

  Martin Rogalski looks at the story of Tonya Fenton —a mesothelioma sufferer in the third wave of asbestos exposure —to remind us of the ongoing risk to innocent bystanders and the evidentiary hurdles in third wave claims.

• Timeframe for applying for Workers' Comp: A Change in Interpretation

  25th Sep 2015

  Kaine Shanahan examines the timeframe for applying for statutory workers' compensation in light of recent case law in Qld.

• Workers comp reforms a win for Qld's injured workers, scheme stability

  17th Sep 2015

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed the passing of significant workers’ compensation scheme reforms that will see key rights restored for thousands of injured workers across Queensland.

• ALA welcomes Qld Chief Justice appointment

  8th Sep 2015

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the appointment of Justice Catherine Holmes as Queensland’s next Chief Justice.

• Employers, unions and ALA fight unfair workers’ compensation Bill

  30th Jun 2015

  The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ), the Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) and the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) have joined forces in fighting proposed amendments to the Federal workers’ compensation scheme, stating the changes are a ‘retrograde step for Queensland’ that will result in higher and volatile premiums for small business and fewer benefits for the State’s 2.1 million workers.

• Qld reforms to improve workplace safety welcome

  23rd Apr 2015

  Industrial relations reforms announced today by the Palaszczuk Government will play an important role in helping to strengthen and improve safety scrutiny and oversight on Queensland work sites, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Queensland Election - A Win for Workers

  1st Apr 2015

  The rights of injured Queensland workers are set to be reinstated following the Australian Lawyers Alliance and Workers Protection Coalition’s campaign against unfair legislative amendments to Queensland’s WorkCover laws.   

• Ferouz legal team named ALA Queensland 2015 Civil Justice Award Winner

  13th Feb 2015

  The legal team which fought to free baby Ferouz and his family from detention has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.

• QLD’s Justice McMurdo to speak at annual law conference

  11th Feb 2015

  Queensland Justice the Hon. Margaret McMurdo AC, President of the Court of Appeal, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Queensland State Conference.

• Injured workers must be a priority for Qld election

  16th Jan 2015

  The forthcoming Queensland State election presents a real opportunity for all sides of politics to restore rights for Queenslanders injured in unsafe workplaces, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• A voice against threats to mining objection rights in QLD

  31st Jul 2014

  Recently, legislation was proposed in Queensland that clearly favours mining companies and proposes to significantly reduce the legal rights of landholders and the general community. Communities' rights to be notified, consulted and to object should remain protected, writes Amy Park.

• Australian Lawyers Alliance supports the stand taken today by QLD Bar

  13th Jun 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance supports the stand taken today by QLD Bar Association President, Peter Davis QC, who has resigned in protest of the government's appointment of Judge Tim Carmody as Chief Justice of Queensland.

• Drop in premiums shows Qld govt's WorkCover changes were unnecessary

  20th May 2014

  Today’s announcement of a drop in WorkCover premiums for employers proves the Newman Government’s changes to the workers’ compensation scheme, rammed through Parliament last year, were unnecessary, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• A Q&A on QLD workers compensation changes

  8th May 2014

  ALA QLD President Michelle James answers questions about Queensland's workers compensation scheme, which removed workers' rights following amendments passed into law this year.

• ALA announces winner of Queensland Civil Justice Award 2014

  14th Feb 2014

  A man who spent five years tirelessly defending the innocence of an Australian man facing criminal charges overseas has been announced as the winner of this year’s Australian Lawyers Alliance Queensland Civil Justice Award.

• Lawyers to pack out Marriott Resort for annual ALA Qld conference

  11th Feb 2014

  More than 300 lawyers and legal academics will fill the main conference room of the Marriott Resort, this weekend, as part of the annual Australian Lawyers Alliance two-day Queensland Conference.

• New poll shows Qld Premier's seat at risk if WorkCover laws pass

  17th Oct 2013

  A new poll shows the Premier’s own seat is at risk if the Queensland Government passes laws today to reduce injured employees’ rights for workplace injuries.

• ALA to discuss Qld premier at risk of losing his seat

  17th Oct 2013

  Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Rod Hodgson will be speaking on new polling that shows the Premier is at risk of losing the seat of Ashgrove as a result of the State Government’s proposed changes to Queensland’s WorkCover scheme today (Thursday) morning at Parliament House.

• WorkCover changes hurt all Queenslanders

  15th Oct 2013

  Today's changes to Queensland's WorkCover scheme announced by the Attorney-General will hurt employers, employees and taxpayers and have been announced without any basis in fact.

• Queensland still has nation's best WorkCover scheme

  14th Oct 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the release of WorkCover Queensland’s latest Annual Report, which confirms the scheme remains the best in the country and is both financially stable and fair for employers, employees and taxpayers.

• Queenslanders reject Government's changes to workers compensation

  13th Oct 2013

  As State Cabinet prepares to consider drastic changes to Queensland's workers compensation scheme, a new poll has shown that Queenslanders overwhelmingly support the State's current system.

• Queensland workers compensation poll

  13th Oct 2013

  Click here to view the workers compensation poll results following a survey of 1,258 Queensland residents on 10 October 2013.

• ALA says new Qld unexplained wealth laws will not hinder criminals

  2nd May 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance says Queensland’s Attorney-General, Jarrod Bleijie, is mistaken if he thinks introducing unexplained wealth laws will make any difference to criminal activity.

• ALA announces winner of its Queensland Civil Justice Award 2013

  15th Feb 2013

  The man who was the driving force behind the search and eventual coronial inquest into the disappearance of a 13-year-old Queensland boy has been announced as the winner of this year’s Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Award.

• Lawyers to pack out Gold Coast’s Sheraton for annual ALA conference

  12th Feb 2013

  More than 350 lawyers and legal academics will fill the main conference room of the Sheraton Mirage Hotel, this weekend, as part of the annual Australian Lawyers Alliance two-day Queensland Conference.

• ALA Civil Justice Award recipient recognised for flood assistance

  17th Feb 2012

  A man who went beyond the call of duty to assist Queensland’s flood-ravaged and destitute communities, in December 2010, has been recognised with The Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Award.

• ALA urges Qld election not to be another law and order auction

  17th Feb 2012

  Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Greg Barns, today urged all major parties in the forth-coming Queensland state election to steer clear of a law and order auction.